Andy pulled into his garage after leaving the Xenon, noting the pair of cars parked down the block from his house with quiet approval. A new game was set to begin, and his key players had proven to be even more interesting than he’d initially expected.

His first intentions for the Laine girl had been to use her no differently than any of his countless other ‘investments,’ including her shrew of a friend McMally, but after meeting her face to face, his plans changed. She came across as someone eager to please, a very soft-spoken woman with more than just a touch of self-doubt: the perfect combination for the lead role in his production.

It didn’t hurt that she was also easy on the eyes.

He thought back to her easy smile and flirtatious laughter, to the way she seemed to hang on his every word tonight. He’d been momentarily caught off guard when she initially turned him down for dinner, but of course he’d read her correctly after all. He knew that to make the game more interesting, he'd have to play her long enough to completely destroy her when the end finally came.

Tonight, however, he had other business to attend to. Mary was proving to be a bit of a problem; he was having trouble trying to figure her out. What was her motivation in life? How did she handle adversity? How did the others' interactions with her differ from their true feelings?

Andy: "Let’s make this quick. Where do we stand as of right now?"
Ace: "Mr. Peterson has everything set up and ready to go."
Andy: "Is that right, Mr. Peterson?"

Chris: "After we spoke tonight, I was able to find a location secluded enough to work perfectly. It's set back from the main roads and hidden in some dense trees."
Andy: "Is there anything else?"
Chris: "I do have one question: how far am I allowed to go?"
Andy: "I want her left alive. Other than that, use your own discretion."

Chris: "I'll try not to break your little toy."
Andy: "You haven't forgotten what I can do to you if you do, right?"
Chris: "No. Not at all."
Andy: "Good. Now get out of my house."

Andy watched in distaste as Chris Peterson made a show of bowing before turning on his heel and walking out of the office. He had half a mind to put a bullet through the guy, but didn’t feel like dealing with the resulting mess. Instead, he waited until he heard the rusty growl of an engine before turning to Ace Reynolds.

Andy: “What do you think of Mr. Peterson?”
Ace: “He’s built up a bit of a reputation in the underground of being an opportunistic bastard, but he does good work. He’s focused; I think he’s right for the job.”
Andy: “Do you trust him?”
Ace: “No further than I can throw my grandmother.”

Andy: “I’m going to need you to keep an eye on him for me. I want you to let me know if he slips up in any way.”
Ace: “Gladly. Did you need anything else tonight?”
Andy: “No, we’re finished for now. You know how to contact me from this point on if you need to.”

Ace nodded almost imperceptibly before exiting from Andy’s office.